Rainforest and Ruins

Arrive at the Belize City airport and transfer to your jungle retreat. On the way, you can stop at the Belize Zoo where, in typical Belizean fashion, animals roam 29 acres in large natural enclosures. Your jungle lodge is located on the banks of the Macal River. Surrounded by pristine forest, your days at the lodge are filled with natural discoveries as you explore the lush vegetation of the Maya Mountains, miles of trails, and on-site farms.

After a leisurely morning, you'll canoe down the Macal River and discover Belize's wildlife. Your guide will help you spot iguanas, peccaries, coatimundis, and a variety of birds. After lunch in town, visit the Maya ruins of Xunantunich, once an important ceremonial site and the second tallest ruin in Belize. From the top, enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of the Cayo District of Guatemala.

Today, continue your exploration of the ancient Maya with a visit to the ruins of Caracol. Surrounded by the breathtaking Belizean jungle, a visit to the ruins offers you massive structures, haunting tombs and burial sites, and intriguing carvings that tell stories of the people who lived and worked in this fantastic Maya city. There is still much to be discovered at Caracol and archaeologists continue to dig and preserve the site. If there is time, you'll stop at Rio On Pools and Rio Frio Cave. A stop at the pools makes for an inviting dip, especially after the afternoon hike under the hot Belizean sun. The smooth granite rocks make for great slides, but watch your step. Even for those who prefer to stay dry, the beauty of the pools is well worth the stop. Not far from the pools is Rio Frio Cave, the largest cave in Belize. Approaching the huge mouth of the cave is a magical, almost frighteningly fantastic sensation. Long ago the cave was used as a ceremonial site for the Maya, but while the artifacts are gone, the cave still retains its mystique.

Rise early for an unforgettable adventure into the Maya underworld. Begin your journey from the lodge doors, crossing creeks and venturing deep into the Belizean jungle to reach the opening of the sacred Actun Tunichil Muknal – the Cave of the Stone Sepulcher. At the entrance, you'll be outfitted with a helmet and waterproof headlamp, then wade into the emerald-green water flowing from the cave's gaping mouth. Follow the river's path through wet and dry caverns surrounded by hanging stalactites and towering stalagmites. Your final destination is the spectacular primary chamber, where ancient kings and priests once made blood sacrifices to appease the Maya gods. Your lights reveal the ghostly outlines of skeletal ritual victims and scattered ceramic shards from ancient rituals. As this is an active archaeological site, be careful not to disturb the sleeping skeletons and artifacts before returning to the light above ground. This is a fairly strenuous excursion, so good physical condition is essential.

Click here for an alternative excursion available at Black Rock Lodge.

After breakfast, transfer to Belize City for your departure.